


the coldest days are coming

by Myrime



Series: let us rise again [4]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: BAMF Pepper Potts, Fix-It, Gen, Hurt Tony, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark Friendship, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Pepper Potts, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Steve is trying, There Is Still A Vision-shaped Hole In the Ground, Threats, of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 01:31:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15108986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myrime/pseuds/Myrime
Summary: Pepper is on a warpath. She may not have anything on these so called heroes, but that does not mean she is powerless. Hers is quite a different world, but she knows monsters and she is not as helpless as they think. And she will not stand back and watch her family get hurt again.- Pepper makes it her mission to threaten some sense into the ex-Avengers, all in the hopes of keeping Tony safe.





	the coldest days are coming

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Kat, who wanted me to add the scene with Pepper and Wanda.  
> This is part of a series, but you don't necessarily need to read that. Although Pepper meeting Clint is in 'mouth full of shards', so he's missing here.  
> Enjoy! (And thank all of you who commented or left kudos on the rest of this series! You all made me very happy.)

Wanda has clearly been warned of Pepper coming to see her, for the witch stays clear of the compound’s common areas more often than not, even going so far as to confirm with FRIDAY that Pepper is not in the vicinity before going to the meals. She does not know, of course, that Pepper has her own deal with FRIDAY, and that the AI is far more willing to indulge her than the very person who has hurt her creator.

That said, Pepper is not quite sure why Wanda avoids her. They have not actually had much contact over the past year, and Pepper doubts that any sort of frightening reputation precedes her. How had Barton put it – they do not move in the same social circles. Pepper might be known as somewhat ruthless in business, always getting her way, but the Avengers only ever knew her as the person beneath that. The one frightened for Tony, the one regularly cowering from danger, because death does not play as constant a role in her world as it does in theirs.

So, Wanda hiding from her is beyond interesting; slightly amusing too.

When Pepper decides she has waited long enough, she goes to pay their wayward witch a visit, asking FRIDAY to fetch her with some excuse. Then she finds the still not covered hole in the compound floor, vaguely Vision-shaped and painful to behold, and waits. She stands a bit to the side, so she will not immediately be seen from the entrance, while being able to take a good look at Wanda when she comes in.

She is young, that strikes Pepper first, and she does feel guilt, judging on the way she frowns, looking at the result of her so-called escape from the compound.

“This is the reason Vision has not yet returned to the compound,” Pepper says after a moment, deciding to strike before she is noticed. It is not the whole truth, because Rhodey is the other big reason but there is no point in telling Wanda that. Not when she is trying to get an important message across.

Wanda whirls around, hands raised in what could be a defensive manoeuvre but also an act of offense, considering her particular talent. She narrows her eyes at Pepper, angry at being cornered. “What do you want from me?”

“Have you made any progress in controlling your – _gift_?” Pepper asks, tone conversationally but there is no hiding the sharpness beneath the words.

“What do you want?” Wanda repeats, no less hostile than the first time but also more lost. Maybe she does realize she has a problem.

Pepper smiles, sweetly. “But you know that already.”

“You want to threaten me.” Wanda straightens but stays where she is, a safe distance from Pepper. The hole in the ground is between them. Pepper thinks she could not have planned this better. “But I’m not like Clint. I don’t have any family you can hold hostage against me. You cannot do anything that hasn’t already been done to me.”

“Hostage?” Pepper chuckles and shakes her head. “We have merely offered Mr. Barton’s family a home after he abandoned them. Their personal matters are none of our business.” 

“Clint should be happy then, that Stark decided not to have them killed like my family?”

“War is an ugly business,” Pepper says, careful to keep her tone neutral. There is no use in appearing patronizing. “But even if Mr. Stark had personally launched those missiles at your home, war is seldom something waged against specific individuals.”

“Stark killed my parents,” Wanda hisses, looking ready to jump over the hole in the ground and throw herself at Pepper.

The witch truly believes her words, Pepper realizes, which does not make her mission easier. On the other hand, it cures her of most of her pity for the girl.

“He did not,” she snaps, already wondering why she even bothers. There is just no talking with some people. “You have done much worse to yourself than Mr. Stark ever could have, even if he did have it out for you.”

“What are you talking about?” Wanda asks, glaring

“I mean, yes, you were children. But, truly, selling yourself to some dubious scientist?” Pepper looks up, allowing false concern into her voice. “I’ve come across some of the reports. What Hydra did to their subjects was horrible, and there you were – you didn’t even have to be forced into it, or brainwashed to still do their bidding afterwards. I’m not even talking about the impossible amount of naivety you had to have for thinking that they would ever give you what you want, but is the wish for revenge really worth that?”

Very briefly, Wanda meets Pepper’s eyes. Red is swirling in their depths, but Pepper is not afraid; she _is_ here to poke the devil, to dig as deep as she can and find out what drives this woman.

“What do you want from me?” Wanda asks for a third time, toneless now but no less dangerous.

“It’s simple, really,” Pepper says, slowly making her way around the hole, walking towards the witch. “I don’t want you to ruin anyone else.” It is easy to admit that she watches Wanda flinch with no small amount of satisfaction.

To give her credit, Wanda catches herself quickly and stands her ground, looking right into Pepper’s eyes when she says, “Stark has ruined _us_.”

“The man ordering the hit on Sokovia has ruined your family,” Pepper counters calmly. “By turning yourself into experimental subjects for Hydra, you and your brother have ruined yourself. Mr. Stark has never done anything except trying to help, although you hardly deserve that, in my opinion.”

“And now you think you can scare me away? Threaten me into submission?” Wanda scoffs, straightening although that only serves to highlight the differences between the two; Pepper tall and crisp, Wanda young and caught in the downward spiral of her ever repetitive thoughts.

Pepper smiles although she wants to roll her eyes at the challenge. There is just no talking with the girl. Time to finish then.

“Read my thoughts. You can do that, right?” she says calmly, careful not to sound mocking. As a person, Wanda might not be dangerous but her powers undoubtedly are. “Taste my fears. And don’t treat my threats lightly. I might not be able to tear apart minds with magic but I do have power, one that someone like you can barely grasp.”

Taking her time to taste the dramatic pause, Pepper watches Wanda’s still form. The girl does not show herself impressed yet, but Pepper’s mind is still her own, so that has to count for something.

“A word from me in the right ear and you will be back in that straight jacket, you will never walk under the sun again.” That does strike a note, Pepper sees that immediately, and latches onto the wince with a small, unsympathetic smile. “I don’t like the idea of taking your freedom, but Tony is my family. Do you remember the pain you felt when your brother died?” Another flinch, far more noticeable this time. “If you touch Tony again, I will make you feel that for the rest of your miserable life. And I will make sure that it is long enough to drive the point home once and for all.”

Silence falls and it is both heavy and sweet. It does not quite taste like victory, but Pepper still counts it as a battle won.

“Think carefully about my words. And if I never hear from you again, I’ll assume we’ve come to an understanding.”

With that, Pepper turns around, not wanting to overdo it, although the vindictive part of her does not want to let the witch get off this easily. Her heels click loudly on the compound’s floor as she walks away with measured steps. In her back, Wanda does not move. She does not summon her magic, does not say anything, does barely breathe. That, Pepper thinks, is enough for now.

 

* * *

 

Wilson is much easier to approach than Barton or the witch. For one, she does not have much of a quarrel with him – but that, paradoxically makes it all the harder too. Pepper is not fond of the Avengers as a whole, although they appeared to be a good thing for a while. Out of all of them, Wilson seemed to be the most reasonable; not jumping to conclusions, not insisting he is right at all times. Men like him are rare. It leaves Pepper a bit at a loss at how to talk to him.

“Ms. Potts,” Wilson greets as he finds her in the kitchen, drinking coffee and staring at a tablet she has not bothered to turn on. “I heard you were doing the rounds. Mind if I sit down for this?”

He smiles at her, honestly, not like someone expecting to be threatened, although he apparently knows that is what she has done to his friends.

“Mr. Wilson.” Pepper cannot help but smile back as she waves at the table in invitation.

He nods and takes a seat across from her, leaving enough distance between them to talk comfortably without letting her crowd him. Then he waits, patiently, not commenting on her being obviously lost in thoughts.

“You always seemed like a reasonable man,” Pepper remarks and trails off. In fact, he seemed like someone who, under different circumstances, could have been a friend. If not hers, necessarily, than at least Tony and Rhodey’s.

“But?” Wilson sounds mildly interested. That – his utterly non-aggressive manner – is what clears Pepper’s mind. Determined again, she sits up straighter.

“Does there have to be a but?” This is, of course, a rhetoric question, but he considers is earnestly, so she waits for his answer.

“You’re not here for idle chitchat,” he finally says, inclining his head slightly. “You’re doing what you can to protect your family, and seeing how twitchy Clint is and how furious Wanda, I think you’re doing a terrific job of it.”

That startles a laugh out of Pepper. She listens closely, but there is no reproach in his voice. “I thought you would disapprove.”

“Oh, I do,” Wilson smiles and shrugs, “I’m a fool who wishes we could put all of this behind us. But I’m aware that will not happen.” He sounds as exasperated as Pepper feels. “And those two won’t listen to simple words. They won’t admit they might have done mistakes themselves. So your way of doing things does not seem so farfetched. You certainly got them to listen.”

Pepper sighs, reaching for her coffee cup without picking it up. “The question is for how long.”

“Hopefully long enough for us to find something else to rally against.”

They share a look that says clearly how out of their depth they are. But Pepper is also pleasantly surprised. She had not dared to hope but it seems she has found an ally here.

“But, well, not that I don’t enjoy talking to you,” Wilson then says, looking somewhat bashful all of a sudden. “I’d rather we get to the threatening part so I can maybe let down my guard again afterwards.”

Despite herself, Pepper smiles again. Wilson seems to have that effect, putting people at ease.

“What if I have only come to talk?” she asks, clearly taking him by surprise, because he cocks his head to the side in question and leans back in his chair. Then he shrugs, taking this new development in stride.

“Then I would not accuse you of lying but gladly go for it.”

Some of the tension bleeds out of Pepper upon hearing that. She makes a point of not wasting too much thought on it, but she is exhausted too. For weeks now they have been waiting for Tony to break down so they can catch him when he does. But in true Stark fashion, he prefers to keep to himself, to only meet with them when he is sure that he can smile and joke and play his part, never allowing any weakness to show. As if they would think less of him for it. As if he does not want to burden them. It is a mystery to Pepper how he cannot see that this only makes them worry more.

Looking at Wilson now, Pepper decides to take a chance. “Rhodey rather likes you. I think I can see why.”

Immediately, Wilson’s face darkens, clouding over with something Pepper is reasonably sure is guilt. While she is glad to see it, it does not give her any satisfaction.

“How is he?” Wilson asks with the expression of someone knowing how stupid a question that is, but eager for an answer nonetheless.

“Stubborn enough to remain optimistic,” Pepper says, not hiding the admiration she has for Rhodey’s strength.

When Wilson hesitates before speaking, she hopes she knows what he is going to ask and is not disappointed. “Do you think he would be opposed to seeing me?”

“I had hoped you would ask.”

“Truly?” Wilson leans slightly away from her, blinking like he is not sure whether she is telling the truth, but Pepper nods emphatically.

“Rhodey – you are good with people, Mr. Wilson. We aren’t,” Pepper shrugs, trying not to show how much these words cost her, “I’m good with business and Tony is good with machines. Rhodey needs more than that.”

Pepper has never liked appearing incompetent, and it is hard enough to admit to herself that she is not much of a help to Rhodey these days. She can offer conversation and distraction, she can glare sternly at any passerby rude enough to stare and order people to stop treating him like he will break any minute. But she cannot help him heal, cannot understand what drove him to the point that got him shot out of the air and can understand even less that he has hinted at wanting to go back to flying if Tony can build him something appropriate. Wilson on the other hand might be the solution to all of those problems.

“This conversation is not at all what I expected it to be,” Wilson says, putting off his answer for the moment. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the lack of hostility but –” he trails off helplessly, and Pepper can sympathise.

“I don’t think Tony was ever in much danger from you,” she points out calmly, putting aside all her feelings about the so-called Civil War. How she hates that name. “As far as I know, you hold no grudges against him. You don’t expect him to do the impossible only to blame him when he falls short.”

“I don’t,” Wilson says, but it ends up sounding like a question.

“You stood by Mr. Rogers when he needed you.” Pepper smiles. She did not expect coming here and liking him. “While I realize that Rhodey is not, strictly speaking, your friend, I wondered whether you would agree to help him. The two of you have similar backgrounds, you –”

“Yes.” It sounds so simple when he says it. No hesitation, no demanding further explanation, no counting off all the flaws in this plan.

Pepper looks taken aback for a moment, like she has not expected him to agree or, at least, not this easily.

Then he makes it worse by adding, “I wish I could make things here better too.”

Pepper chuckles but it is not as bitter as it could be. “But you already do, from what I’ve heard,” she exclaims decidedly. “It seems like you’re the only one willing and able to have a serious discussion without it dissolving into a shouting match.”

Wilson shrugs and she does not press him for an answer. The situation is hard for all of them. While she has no pity for Barton and the witch, and very little for Rogers, she can imagine that it is near impossible to stay neutral now, when there are still battle lines drawn and everyone is just waiting for things to dissolve again. But he is more than trying, so she gives him time and takes a sip of coffee, taking care to not watch him.

“Tony will leave, yes?” Wilson then asks, not quite changing the topic because all their drama is connected these days.

Pepper tenses for a moment, studying him to figure out his intentions. Upon finding no obvious malice in the question, she nods.

“We’re trying not to push him.” She smiles somewhat sadly. Every day now she is reminded that one just cannot save someone from themselves. “If we so much as suggest that he would be better off without the Avengers, he will push forward. He is thick-headed like that. But he is slowly getting to the realization himself. It won’t be long now.”

She is still watching Wilson like a hawk. He does not seem the type to be satisfied by this turn of events, but all of them have grown wary of what they think about the people in their lives.

“While I won’t be glad to see him go, not like this,” he says calmly, and Pepper finds she believes him, “I agree that it would be best for him.”

“Best for all of you.” When Wilson stares at her for that, she shrugs. She is not so biased that she cannot consider the other concerned parties in this dilemma. If Tony is not healing because they cannot stop clashing, then so is no one else.

“I didn’t think you’d care much for the rest of our team.” His tone is not sharp, not reprimanding, which she is glad for. They all ought to give each other more credit.

“I shouldn’t,” Pepper says nonetheless because her priority _will_ always be Tony. “And I will gladly destroy them if I have to, just as I promised, but Tony cares about them. And at one point, I think, they could have made him happy.”

They share a sad smile, one that holds all the things they dare not say.

“It’s a shame,” Wilson says but Pepper shakes her head. Had Tony stopped when she asked him to, back when the team was still together and somewhat functional, she might have agreed with Wilson. Now however she truly believes it is for the best.

“It would have killed him.”

He rises considerably in her respect when he does not try to argue. Things are as bad then as she thinks, worse than what Tony makes her believe. It is good that she has started to take care of all the important things herself years ago.

“Anyway,” Pepper says, getting to her feet, “thank you for your time, Mr. Wilson.” She does not want to overstay her welcome, not when this meeting has taken such an unexpected pleasant turn.

Wilson stands too, offering his hand for her to shake, which she accepts gladly. “I’ll have to thank you for the lack of threats, Ms. Potts.”

“Don’t mistake this for an absolution” Pepper advises, keeping her tone friendly but firm. “Hurt Tony or Rhodey and I will come for you.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” he says with a smile, walking to the kitchen door to open it for her.

“Glad we agree.” Pepper can only hope he understands how much she means these words. But when she leaves, she does so feeling much lighter than before. She expected to be confronted with only obstacles, coming here. Now, though, she has hopes that she will not have to navigate this mess alone.

 

* * *

 

On her way out of the compound, she comes across Tony, leaning against a wall of the foyer like he has no care in the world. If the rest of this place were not bare of any trace of his continued existence, she might even believe it. As it is, however, she knows he barely leaves his workshop at all these days, much less without his faithful shadow. But Steve is nowhere to be seen, and FRIDAY did not warn her of Tony’s coming, so Pepper guesses she has been found out.

“What are you doing here?” Tony asks by way of greeting. Once his voice might have been full of humour – or fake dread at the prospect of her bringing things for him to sign or bad news from a board meeting. Now, though, she cannot help but hear the tension beneath the words. These days they are all expecting even more things to go wrong.

“Not happy to see me?” she says, making sure to sound cheerful. Thankfully she has enough practice hiding her thoughts. Tony really does not need any added worries. “I didn’t even bring work for you.” She waves her empty hands as a peace offering but the smile that earns her is marginal at best.

“That makes me only more suspicious.” His voice holds a faint trace of humour, although his face remains serious. “Especially since FRIDAY did not tell me you’re here, which means you must have explicitly told her not to, because I always want to see you.”

“Don’t be too hard on her,” Pepper says, trying for nonchalant. One of the rules for success is to never appear guilty. “I had some business to conclude.”

“Without me.” He cocks his head, looking like he is trying to catch her in a lie.

“It happens.”

“Several times as it seems,” Tony points out, then adds almost tonelessly, “do I have to fear losing you to the other side too?”

Just like that, Pepper’s heart breaks a little further. He never used to appear so insecure; has been it maybe but always knew to hide it. She wishes she could reach in and puzzle the pieces of him back together – or at least make him understand that she will never leave his side.

“Oh, Tony,” she sighs, helpless. “No. What makes you think that?”

With a sardonic smile tugging at his lips, he pushes away from the wall, turning so he can avoid her eyes more easily. “You’d only have to look at my track record.”

Pepper reaches out but flinches away when he dodges her touch. The motion seems mostly an unconscious one but it hurts all the same. “I would never –”

“I know,” Tony cuts her off, rubbing the bridge of his nose. In all the years Pepper has known him, he has never seemed this tired. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just – it’s hard, you know.”

“I do.” Suddenly Pepper knows she has gone too easy on Barton and the witch.

“Never mind,” Tony says, straightening. The smile he dons is not as fake as the ones he gives the public, but it still grates that he feels the need to pretend. “Anything I can help you with?”

_Come home_ , she wants to say, _leave this toxic place and these people who have never deserved you. Come home and heal before it’s too late._ But Tony was never one to allow others to protect him, having had to always fend for himself growing up.

So Pepper does not open her arms to take him in and tuck him away, she does not tell him to pack his things, will not force him to do anything since she knows everyone always ignores his wishes, even Tony himself, and she will not do that to her best friend.

“Have coffee with me?” Pepper asks instead.

Tony looks in the general direction of the kitchen and hesitates. That more than anything, more than the dark shadows beneath his eyes and the clearly meticulously cared for goatee and the constant movement of his hands, tells Pepper that Tony is not all right at all. Worse, that he feels like an intruder in his home, like new pain can come upon him any second that he is out in the open.

“Maybe not here,” Pepper amends gently. “There is that café I wanted to try.” She can at least get him out of the compound for a couple hours, to show him that life is going on beyond these walls and that he can be a part of it.

Without further question and barely masking his relief, Tony nods. “Let me just change into something more appropriate, and let’s go.”

Pepper watches him go, pace quick but slowing when he comes to an intersection, stretching his head to see and listen whether the way is clear. It hurts to see him like this when he used to walk like he owned every stone and house and lungful of air. He will heal, she knows that – or rather, has to believe it – and she will do everything in her power to make that happen as quickly as it possibly can.

It is truly time, Pepper thinks, that Tony came home.

 

* * *

 

Pepper has reserved Rogers for last for quite a number of reasons, most of all because she does not understand him, cannot grasp his motives. A hero from another time, ready to always stand for his people – only that the definition of _his people_ seems a rather fickle one. He does not seem the type for maliciousness or outright ignoring the needs of a friend. Then again, _friends_ appear as loose a concept to him as is doing what is right.

When Tony first came back from the airport fight, he was so broken up about losing what he had still believed was a good thing – the Avengers, trying his hand at saving the world. Pepper had not dared to tell him that maybe it was not that bad that it had finally ended, because she knew he would not agree, could not see how much all of that took from him.

Then Siberia happened. And when Pepper saw him next, Rogers was there again too. The two of them seem to just fit, even though she cannot shake the feeling that it is wrong. They are too damaged, too careful, too close to so many edges it is only a matter of time before something sends them over again. But she could not possibly say any of that. Not without making things worse. More so, because she does not know how to make things better either.

“Ms. Potts,” Rogers greets, sounding surprised, when he opens his door for her. “I wondered whether you’d come to me too.”

Pepper smiles noncommittally. He is a delusional idiot if he truly believes she does not have some choice words for him.

“You didn’t think this would be done with one measly slap, right?” If she tries hard enough, she can still feel her hand tingling. She is sure he went soft for her, leaning into the slap so she would not hurt herself, but it is still a very fond memory.

“There was nothing measly about it,” Rogers assures her as he steps aside to let her into his room. No one can say he is not a brave man. “Why now? Tony is gone.”

_Finally_ , Pepper thinks. Two weeks now and she is still glad every time she sees Tony in the tower. Already he looks healthier, like he actually sleeps. FRIDAY has also sent her a video of Tony down in R&D, laughing with some of the other engineers. _Laughing._ It almost makes her wish she had intervened sooner, dragged him back to the tower herself, but she knows that is nonsense. Tony has changed, and he has done so out of his own volition. He has made a decision and sticks to it. There is no other, or better, way to heal.

“I needed the time to watch you. Both of you,” Pepper says, taking in the room with a critical eye. She walks over to the desk, seeing with interest that quite a number of the sketches there feature Tony. Turning around again, she says, “Now, against our advice, Tony isn’t going to cut off contact with you, so I felt my intervention was still needed.”

Rogers regards her with an uncomfortable expression. “I won’t disagree.”

He stands somewhat lost in his own home, wondering maybe whether he should offer her a seat or sit down herself, and Pepper observes it with no small amount of amusement. There are no clear rules for situations like this.

“Won’t you, now?” Pepper says quietly, fixing him with a searching glare. “The question is, do I _need_ to threaten you?”

Rogers avoids her eyes, looks at the ground like he is prepared to patiently take her scolding. “I don’t think my word is worth much these days.”

Oh, Pepper thinks, this will not do at all. “Bashfulness doesn’t suit you Captain,” she snaps, causing him to whip up his head, surprised maybe at the harsh tone.

“But I mean it.” He sounds so earnest, she can see why the public was so quick to adore him, but she is not so easily fooled anymore.

“I guess we’ll see about that. In the meantime, why are you here?” Leaning back against the desk, Pepper crosses her arms, quite enjoying that this leaves him standing awkardly in the middle of the room.

“This is where –” He starts, but she cuts him off by clicking her tongue.

“Don’t give me any of the crap you tell everyone else, or what you need to tell _yourself_ so you can continue to look at yourself in the mirror,” she smirks when Rogers flinches, “I want to know the truth. Why are you here?”

For a long moment, they simply stare at each other. Pepper waits more or less patiently as he opens and closes his mouth several times, waiting for the words to come even when he does not seem capable of forming them. Finally, his shoulders slump and he trots over to the bed, letting himself fall onto it carelessly.

“I hurt Tony,” he then says, looking right at Pepper, not trying to hide from this truth. “He attacked Bucky and I saw red. I forgot that Tony was my friend too, and I almost killed him.”

Tony has never told anyone what happened in Siberia, not the things that matter, that are tearing him apart. Hearing this now, hearing it said like that, leaving no doubt that Rogers is telling the truth, hit Pepper harder than she ever could have prepared herself for. There is no getting used to almost losing the people she loves most.

“And he was holding back,” Rogers continues, eyes still on her but seeing something long gone.” “You know, that’s the worst thing. Tony doesn’t go down easily, and he never stays down for long. I’m sure,” he shakes his head, desperately, “I _know_ he could have done worse to us, he could have done real damage. But he didn’t. He may have shot at Bucky, but he was never in to kill _me_ , even though I might have.”

Something crazed enters Roger’s gaze that Pepper has always associated with Tony finding her in the inferno Aldrich caused; the strangeness of seeing something but being unable to truly comprehend it.

“I kneeled over him and I couldn’t stop hitting,” Rogers says, tonelessly, “and he had still power in the repulsors. But he didn’t – he – it’s almost like he gave in, let me do my worst.”

The thing is, Pepper has no difficulties imagining that. Tony has always had the tendency to let people walk all over him if it did not involve his friends. One night when he was very drunk and very tired, he had mumbled into her hair, _It doesn’t matter what happens to me; I’ve got so few friends, I can hardly let anything happen to them when it’s in my power to stop it._ For years and years they have not been able to convince him that he is worth being taken care of too.

“I was just glad we were alive and comparably all right when we left Siberia, but when Tony’s video arrived, that’s when it hit me.” For a brief moment, Rogers hides his face in his hands before looking back up, expression raw and vulnerable. “I was protecting one friend by almost killing another. I don’t want to be that person. I know I’m not the flawless guy the propaganda makes of me, but I don’t want to be _that_ man either.”

He believes it, Pepper is sure of that. He believes each and every word he just said. And still, she cannot help but think, he should have known better, should have kept things from going out of hand.

“So, if Tony went down into the lab and threatened Barnes right now,” Pepper says, voice sharp enough to make him wince, “you want to tell me you wouldn’t lose it again?”

“He wouldn’t,” Rogers counters immediately, mollifying Pepper quite a bit, although she does not let that show on her face.

“ _I_ know that. But hypothetically speaking,” she trails off, watching misery cloud around Rogers.

“I – I don’t know.” Rogers sags, appearing smaller than he has any right to be. “I wish I could promise you, I wish I could trust myself. I hope I wouldn’t. Tony deserves better than that.”

“Well,” Pepper drawls, then softens her tone a bit, “that we can agree on.”

He nods miserably before he straightens his shoulders, looking at her intently. “But I can promise you that, _if_ I ever hurt him again, I won’t defend myself against you.”

Chuckling quietly, Pepper pushes herself away from his desk and takes a step closer to him, enough that he has to strain his neck a little to look up at her.

“It’s cute that you think you could,” she says, not quite dismissively but making it obvious what she thinks of his offer. “The world is different now. People still like heroes, but these days it is so much easier to show that heroes don’t exist. It would be so easy to tear down your Captain America persona, no matter how carefully it was built.”

Rogers shrugs, the movement only half-forced. “And you’d be right to do it.” It is true then, that he never quite got comfortable with the title.

“I’m telling you again: Stop this.” Pepper rolls her eyes, taking some of the sting out of her words. “It doesn’t suit you to regret your righteousness.”

“What if I do?”

Shaking her head, Pepper turns to the door. She is not here to make him feel better about himself. Only to make sure her family is protected. “I’ll keep an eye on you. And Tony.”

“I won’t let you down,” he says at her back, making no move to follow her but sounding earnest enough that she is sure he at least believes himself.

Opening the door but not yet letting go of the handle, she looks back at Rogers. “Don’t let _him_ down,” she says, imploring him to realize how very serious she is. “He wouldn’t survive it another time.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think, or if you want to read anything else as part of this series.  
> All the best to you.


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